• Lexus launched the ES Moon Shadow edition in China.
  • The aging sedan wears a Maybach-style two-tone finish.
  • It is based on the ES 200 with a Corolla-sourced engine.

Lexus has already pulled the wraps off the eighth-generation ES sedan, yet the outgoing model still lingers in China’s showrooms. To keep buyers interested a little longer, the automaker has introduced a special edition of the entry-level ES 200, finished in a two-tone livery that calls to mind the stately swagger of Maybach and Rolls-Royce.

Despite sitting at the very bottom of the ES hierarchy in both price and performance, the Moon Shadow special edition is styled to pass for something far more senior. Lexus says the look was inspired by moonlight reflecting off rivers and seas, hence the stark contrast between the upper and lower sections.

More: Lexus Let The ES Go Bland, Modellista Tries To Bring It Back

The highlight of the exterior is the silver hue covering the hood, roof, pillars, and trunk. Everything below the shoulder line is finished in black, although in official photos it reads more like a deep purple than a true black.

Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power

The spindle grille is finished in Obsidian Black with chrome accents, tying in neatly with the garnish around the bumper intakes and the insert at the rear. The 4,975mm (195.9-inch) long sedan sits on 18-inch premium alloy wheels with a bi-tone finish.

More: This Lexus Wagon Looks So Good It’ll Make You Mad It’s Not Real

Lexus hasn’t shared photos of the interior, but the Chinese-spec ES is equipped with a 14-inch infotainment display and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Standard features include heated and ventilated front seats with an 8-way electric adjustment and lumbar support, ambient lighting, a 10-speaker audio system, and a 360-degree camera.

Under the hood is a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder borrowed from the local Toyota Corolla and Camry, producing 170 hp (127 kW / 173 PS) and 205 Nm (151 lb-ft) of torque. The non-electrified engine drives the front wheels through a Direct Shift CVT, good for a top speed of 205 km/h (127 mph).

More Of A Swan Song

Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power
The interior of the regular Chinese-spec Lexus ES after the 2024 update.

The ES 200 Moon Shadow special edition will set you back ¥307,800 ($44,700). That is ¥7,900 ($1,150) more than the base ES 200 Premium, but also ¥4,900 ($700) less than the ES 200 Black Edition, so it slots between the two without straying too far from either.

More: New Lexus ES Looks Great But This F-Sport Render Looks Even Better

At the top of the Chinese range sits the hybrid ES 300h Executive Edition, priced at ¥488,900 ($71,000), for those who prefer their moonlight with a little electrification.

The seventh-generation Lexus ES was introduced in 2018 and underwent its first facelift in 2021, with China getting another facelift in 2024. The aging sedan lives on borrowed time, as Lexus has already announced the new ES for the Chinese market.

Lexus Gives Its Old ES A Maybach Look With Corolla Power